By POLLY SHULMAN

Published: November 7, 2004

WHEN Jane Austen wrote ''Pride and Prejudice,'' she struck a note that has been echoing through narratives ever since. Readers and moviegoers never tire of the lively Elizabeth Bennet as she wins, breaks and recaptures the heart of the haughty Mr. Darcy, whose vast estate and aristocratic connections, weighed against the vulgarity of her family, inspire what may be the rudest proposal in literature: ''In vain I have struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you,'' he says, going on to dwell warmly on ''his sense of her inferiority, of its being a degradation, of the family obstacles which judgment had always opposed to inclination.''

''Pride and Prejudice'' is a natural for the screen. In 1940, Laurence Olivier sulked and smoldered at Greer Garson; in the 1995 television mini-series, Colin Firth curled his lip at Jennifer Ehle and womankind swooned. A new film version with Keira Knightley and Matthew MacFadyen is to open next year. Less literal adaptations have pulled ''Pride and Prejudice'' into the 21st century, most notably in the film of Helen Fielding's ''Bridget Jones's Diary,'' with Mr. Firth resuming the Darcy role as a top London barrister, insulting and courting Ren?Zellweger as the Elizabeth-like title character.

Mr. Darcy in a reindeer sweater may be a bit of a shocker, but how about Elizabeth in a sari? In a Darcy-and-Elizabeth-like marriage, ''Bride and Prejudice'' pairs the classic English story with the over-the-top Bollywood style of filmmaking. ''Bride and Prejudice,'' which is to open on Dec. 25 , was directed by Gurinder Chadha, who made ''Bend It Like Beckham.'' Darcy (Martin Henderson) is an American who goes to India to attend a wedding with his best friend, Balraj (Naveen Andrews), the equivalent of Darcy's best friend, Mr. Bingley. The provincial Indian setting offers a dowry of matchmaking mothers, colorful scenery and extravagant song-and-dance numbers that can seem captivating or vulgar, depending on your level of pride and prejudice.

Perhaps because in an interracial, cross-cultural romance those traits can come uncomfortably close to racism, the ''Bride and Prejudice'' script plays down its title attitude. Here, Darcy is less snobby than misunderstood. For example, he refuses to dance with Lalita (Aishwarya Rai), the Elizabeth character, not because ''she is tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me,'' as Darcy tells Bingley in the novel, but because he hasn't mastered the drawstring on his Indian kurta-pajama suit, and his pants are falling down.

The script stays closer to home with the minor characters, Austen's miniature masterpieces, like Elizabeth/Lalita's coarse and voluble mother; her boy-crazy sister, Lydia/Lakhi; Bingley/Balraj's snooty sister, Caroline/Kiran; and Elizabeth/Lalita's pompous cousin, Mr. Collins/Mr. Kholi, who is looking for a bride. After all, as Mr. Bennet says in the novel, ''For what do we live, but to make sport for our neighbors, and laugh at them in our turn?'' Several of these neighbors are introduced in Austen's famous opening scene and its Bollywood equivalent, excerpted below. POLLY SHULMAN

'Pride and Prejudice'

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.

However little known the feelings or views of such a man may be on his first entering a neighbourhood, this truth is so well fixed in the minds of the surrounding families, that he is considered as the rightful property of some one or other of their daughters.

''My dear Mr. Bennet,'' said his lady to him one day, ''have you heard that Netherfield Park is let at last?''

Mr. Bennet replied that he had not.

''But it is,'' returned she; ''for Mrs. Long has just been here, and she told me all about it.''

Mr. Bennet made no answer.

''Do not you want to know who has taken it?'' cried his wife impatiently.

''You want to tell me, and I have no objection to hearing it.''

This was invitation enough.

''Why, my dear, you must know, Mrs. Long says that Netherfield is taken by a young man of large fortune from the north of England ''

''What is his name?''

''Bingley.''

''Is he married or single?''

''Oh, single, my dear, to be sure! A single man of large fortune; four or five thousand a year. What a fine thing for our girls!''

''How so? How can it affect them?''

''My dear Mr. Bennet,'' replied his wife, ''how can you be so tiresome! You must know that I am thinking of his marrying one of them.''

''Is that his design in settling here?''

''Design! Nonsense, how can you talk so! But it is very likely that he may fall in love with one of them, and therefore you must visit him as soon as he comes.''

''I see no occasion for that. You and the girls may go, or you may send them by themselves, which perhaps will be still better; for, as you are as handsome as any of them, Mr. Bingley might like you the best of the party.''

''But consider your daughters. Only think what an establishment it would be for one of them. Sir William and Lady Lucas are determined to go, merely on that account, for in general, you know they visit no newcomers. Indeed you must go, for it will be impossible for us to visit him, if you do not. You take delight in vexing me. You have no compassion on my poor nerves.''

''You mistake me, my dear. I have a high respect for your nerves. They are my old friends. I have heard you mention them with consideration these 20 years at least.''

'Bride and Prejudice'

LALITA -- All mothers think any stag with big bucks must be shopping for a wife.

MRS. BAKSHI (offstage, screaming): Oi Bijili! Send for Mr. Bakshi at the farm, we're getting too late now.
(Mr. Bakshi enters and is accosted by Mrs. Bakshi, Lakhi and Maya. He tries to go into his study, rolling his eyes at Lalita.)

MRS. BAKSHI -- Where have you been? Every mother in town will be after Balraj, we'll be at the back of the queue now. You two spend all day at that useless farm pushing bills from one side to the other. This Balraj is a real answer to our problems. Bijili, what are you doing standing here -- go and fix Saab's blue suit for tonight, and pull out the British tie from Harrods. It's too much tension for my poor heart.

MRS. BAKSHI -- We must get there before that Mrs. Lamba gets her claws into him for her Chandra, she's ruthless I tell you.

LALITA -- Don't be too eager, it looks desperate.

MRS. BAKSHI -- We are desperate, he's a barrister.

MR. BAKSHI -- Quiet, quiet, quiet please. It used to be in the family, one voice, everyone listens. Now, it's all voices, no one listens.

MRS. BAKSHI -- What nonsense you're talking old man. All I want is to meet Balraj before he's taken, is that too much to ask for your poor wife of 27 years?
(Mr. Bakshi turns to finally face his wife and sees her excessive makeup, heavy jewelry and bright sari.)

MR. BAKSHI -- Hold on, we have a serious problem.

MRS. BAKSHI -- What's wrong?

MR. BAKSHI (To Lalita) -- What happens if we meet this young man and he mistakes your mother for one of my beautiful daughters?

MRS. BAKSHI:Mr. Bakshi, when I die from tension, then you will know what a good wife I was!

Photos: At far right, Martin Henderson and Aishwarya Rai play the contentious pair's equivalents, transplanted to modern-day India. (Photo by Miramax Films); At right, Laurence Olivier and Greer Garson play Darcy and Elizabeth in the 1940 film version, which kept the novel's 19th-century setting. (Photo by Everett Collection)